Improved wooden pavement



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FHINFHAs HOWARD, OF sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AssIeNOn To J. s. JOssnLYN, WILLIAM n. LAKF., AND B. F. JossnLYN, OF sAMn PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 96,918, dated November 16, 1869; antedated November 3, 1869.

IMPROVED WOODEN PAVEMENT.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHINFHAS HOWARD, of Sau Francisco, in the county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in NVood Pavements; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters, of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention is to provide blocks of woodof such shape or outline, that when laid and not lay any especial claim to, as several patents for preserving wood have already been granted; yet, for fully accomplishing Iny object, the fossilizing of the wood before use is quite necessary.

Referring to the drawings for a better illustration of my device,

Figure l is a longitudinal section.

Figure 2, an elevationof block.

Figure 3, a plan of pavement. v

A represents a block of wood, used by me, one side of which is bevelled, while the opposite side is a vertical plane from top to base., These blocks are set on end, one after the other, so as to break joints, and form nearly a V- shaped opening from curb to curb.

For a foundation for my pavement, I employ twoinch planks, which should also be fossilized before being laid.

The street upon which the foundation is laid should be rolled or battered down, to make the earth as compact as possible, and present a smooth and even snrface.

It is not intended, in laying down my pavement, to form any considerable crown to the street for itv to rest upon, as all wood pavements are, when the surface is wet, more or less slippery, and the animals, in passing over it, are liable to fall, and especially is the danger of falling augmented wherethe street is more crowning; consequently I pieter to construct my pavement with a ila't surface, to prevent these accidents.

When the blocks are laid from curb to curb, as above described, a seml-V-shapcd opening is formed, with one side of the angle perpendicular and the other side inclined.

In this opening, I place a strip of wood, C, made wedge-shape, to correspond with the opening, and drive it firmly down, so that the edge ofl the key or wedge will rest in the vertex.

The-wedges should not be made so wide as to extend to the top of the pavement, but a space is left above the wedge, three inches in depth, more or less, in which may be placed clay or gravel, or the natural accumulation of the debris of the street be allowed to fall in, and become packed down, ltotill the space, and afford a soft foothold for animals passing over it.

By this arrangement and construction, I provide a wood pavement, at once cheap, simple, land durable,

without the use of nails or other adhesive materials to bind and hold it together.

The shape of the blocks themselves, when laid, serve to firmly hold the whole structure together on the line of travel, while the curbing at the sides of the street prevents a lateral movement of the blocks. It can be easily taken up and replaced again, for repairing the street, by common or inexperienced laborers.

Having thus described my invention, I am well aware thabshape in itself in a device is Ilot patentable, except, as in this case, where it enters 4largely into the invention, to make it effectual for the purf pose designed; and, after repeated eXperiments,I am fully convinced thatl my pavement will stand and be eiieetual without the wedge above described, and I believe that no other-shaped block can be etfectnally laid and kept in position without having iirst been nailed to some foundation; consequently,

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentf l In a wooden pavement, constructedl with semi-V- shaped openings, the employment of the 'key C, in the manner and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

I. HOWARD. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

H. S. T-IBBEY, G. W. YM. SMITH. 

